Scutcher



B18. SUMMERS.

SCUTCHER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13. 1915.

1,313,841 Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

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B. S. SUMMERS.

SCUTCHER.

APPLICATION msn SEPT. la. 1915.

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BERTRAND S. SUMMERS, OF PORT HURON, MICHIGAN.

SCUTCHER.

Application led September 13, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERTRAND S. SUM- MERs, a citizen of the United States, resid ing at Port Huron, county of St. Clair, and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scutchers, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of seutchers in which the flax or other liber treated is carried past and into operative engagement with knives or blades which extend transversely and travel longitudinally of the ber in order to engage and remove the woody material therefrom. In machines of this character the fiber, which has previously been broken, must be clamped and held at some portion of its length in order to resist the strain of the seutching knives thereon and the portion covered by the clamps therefore escapes treatment by the seutching knives. Various means have been proposed to obviate this objection with more or less success. Among others, it has been proposed to employ two sets of belts by which the fiber to be treated is carried and which engage the fiber successively but at different portions of its length, means being provided intermediate the pairs of belts to shift the fiber longitudinally of itself and transversely of the belts so that the portion of the fiber protected by the first set of belts is free and accessible to the scutchers when carried by the second pair of belts.

My invention comprises a mechanism of this general character in which, however, but a single pair of belts is employed to present the fiber to the seutching means throughout its treatment, in which the arrangement and construction is such that the seutching operation takes place at two separated locations in the machine, means being provided intermediate these locations for shifting the fiber transversely of the belts so that the portion of the fiber held and covered by the belts during the first seutching treatment is free and exposed to the scutchers throughout the second operation. Other features of improvement and invention Will be pointed out in the specification and claims. It is to be understood that the specific disclosure is for the purpose of eX- empliication only and that the scope of the Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

Serial No. 50,425.

invention is defined in the following claims. in which I have endeavored to distinguish I- it from the prior art so far as known to me without, however, relinquishing or abandoning any portion or feature thereof u In the accompanying drawings, 1s a plan of my improved seutching machine; Fig. 2 a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 a transverse, vertical section upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. t a fragmentary detail of the seutchine means in elevation; Fig. 5 a fragmentary e evation on an enlarged scale showing the fiber gripping and seutching means; Fig. 6 a fragmentary elevation partly in section on a, still larger scale of one of the seutching elements; Fig. 7 an enlarged plan of that portion of the machine comprising the means for transferring the fiber laterally of the gripping belts; Fig. 8 a side elevation of the same; Fig. 9 a transverse vertical section of the carrying belts on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 10 is a detail of the pulleys for the belts.

The same reference characters apply to each part wherever it occurs throughout the several views.

In the preferred form of machine shown in the drawings two pairs of seutching means are arranged on a common frame with a pair of carrier belts disposed above the same and adapted to carry the flax with its free ends depending between the members of the successive pairs of seutching devices. The pairs of seutching devices are-spaced apart and between them and adjacent the gripping belts is arranged a pair of short length belts likewise adapted to grip the flaX and, being inclined transversely of the machine, to carry the flax transversely of the gripping belts, which, at this point, are separated to facilitate the lateral movement of the fiber. The frame 11 may be of any desired construction capable of properly supporting the movable parts in their proper relation to each other. It is shown as rectangular with longitudinal upper, central and lower longitudinal beams connected at suitable intervals by uprights 15, 16, 17 and cross members 18, 18', 18". The frame is divided longitudinally into three sections, in two of which, comprised between the two end posts 15, 17 and the intermediate Figure 1 the frame, the lower gripping belt 19 being mounted at the entrant or front end of the machine on pulleys 20, 21, andat thel rear end of the machine on a drive wheel 22 While the upperbelt is mounted upon pulleys 23, 24, saidpulleys and wheel being mounted upon extensions of the frame at the respective ends thereof. The pulley 24 is mounted upon a shaft 25 which at one end carries the gear 26V meshing with the pinion 27V upon the cross shaft 2S. The latter is driven from `thepower shaft 29 by va belt 30 and suitable pulleys upon said shafts. The drive wheel`22 for the lowerbelt is mounted upon a transverse shaft 31 which carries a gear 32 in mesh with and driven by a pinion 33 Vupon the shaft 25 to which reference has been made. Thus both the upper and lower belts are driven from the same power shaft and the gearing is prefer ably so designed that the two belts travel at substantially the same speed. The belts are each composed preferablyV of leather or other similar Hexible material. As shown in Fig. 9 the lower belt is formed of two layers 34, 35 to the lower orinner of which layers is riveted at suitable intervals a series of cross cleats 36 and the upper or outer layer is formed with an intermediate rectangular projecting portion 37 and rabbeted corners for the purpose of interlockwith the upper belt. rThe latter comprises a back or inside layer 38 and a pair of corner strips 39, 39 forming with the Vback layer a longitudinal groove or recess which closely lits the projection 37 upon the lower belt. The purpose of the construction just described is to form a series of angles in the fiber when it is grasped by the belts to enable the latter to get a vfirmer hold thereon. The upper belt is likewise provided upon its backor inner surface with a series of cleats 40 which are riveted thereto. These cleats are different in form from those upon the lower belt, being provided with semi-circular recesses 41 intermediate their ends for a purpose whichwill appear. rlhe pulleys or rollers for the belts are preferably each formed of a pair of beveled disks a, b spaced apart upon their axles a sufficient distance so that the beveled ends of the cleats, as shown in Fig. 10, engage the bevels of the disks. The driving wheels 22 and 24 for the belts, however, are formed upon their peripheries with cleats or teeth 22, 24 to engage the cleats upon the belts and thus positively actuate the latter.

Referring again to Figs. 3, 9 of the drawing, it will be observed that the frame is provided with upper and lower guides 42, 43,' for the respective belts. The lower guide 42 is mounted at its ends upon brackets 44 which are secured to the castings 45,

' brackets 49 which are bolted to cross pieces 50, and the latter are pierced and slidingly mounted upon bolts 51, 52 and yieldingly held in their lowermost position by springs 53, 54 surrounding said bolts between said cross pieces and the nuts 55. be seen that the upper guide is yieldingly pressed against the lower run of the upper belt and maintains the latter in close operative engagement with the lower belt and Vby reason of the cross section of the beltsV the liber is firmly gripped thereby. The upper guide 42 is not continuous throughout the frame as is the lower guide but is formed in two sections corresponding substantially in length to the scutching elements which terminate on opposite sides of the intermediate sections of the frame as seen in Figs. 2 and 8. In order to absolutely relieve the fiber from the grip of the upper belt the latter, between the inner ends of the upper guides, passes over a roller 56 which lifts it away from thelower belt, as shown in Fig. 2. At this portion of the travel of the lower or carrier belt, therefore, the fiber lies loosely thereon and may be readily moved transversely thereof. l

As heretofore stated, I provide in the in- 'termediate section of the Vframe a pair of belts which draw the fiber transversely of "the gripping belts without interfering with the forward travel thereof. Referring now more particularly to Figs. 7 and 8, it will be seen that these shiftingV belts 57, 58 are arranged one above the other with their adjacent runs substantially in the plane of the lower carrier or gripping belt and at the entrant end closely adjacent said carrier belt sothat the shifting belts receive the ends of the ber between them and rmly grip the same. The shifting belts travel substantially at the same speed as the gripping or carrier belts and as they are inclined to the direction of movement of the carrier belt draw the fiber laterally thereof. As the amount of transverse movement desirable depends in part upon the length of the fiber, the con- The upper guide 42 is Thus it will Y' leys.

belt upon pulleys 61, 62, all of which pulleys are supported in a rigid frame 63 which is pivoted to the main frame at 64. An adjusting yscrew 65 provided with a hand wheel. 66 is connected to the transverse member 67 of the frame at 68, it being understood that the transverse member is rigid with the end members 69, 70 carrying the respective pul- Intermediate the pulleys the upper and lower belts are respectively provided with guides or supporting members 71, 72 respectively, for maintaining the belts in gripping relation. The belts 57 and 58 are positively driven, the pulleys 60, 62 being mounted on shafts having intermeshing gears 73, 74. The upper gear 73 is driven by a splined or telescoping shaft 75 which is connected by a universal joint 76 with a short countershaft 77 which is reciprocable through a normally stationary bearing 78 on the main frame. A sprocket 79 is keyed lupon said shaft 77 so as to revolve therewith but not to partake of the adjustment thereof and is driven by a sprocket chain 80 which also engages a sprocket 81 upon the shaft 2 8, to which reference has already been made. The bearing 78 for the reciprocable shaft 77 is adjustable longitudinally of the frame by means of the slotted flanges 82 and bolts 83 and adjustin screw 84. Thus it will be seen that the sifting belts are positively driven from the power shaft through the intermediate connections heretofore described and are adjustable to vary the extent to which to shift the fiber laterally of the gripping belts. It will of course be understood that as the fiber is carried by the lower carrier belt it is again gripped by the upper or gripping belt at the time that the latter passes under the end of the upper guide. Thus the fiber is released after having undergone the first scutching operation and adjusted transversely of the gripping belts t0 expose to the scutchers the portion of such fiber theretofore protected by the gripping belts and then subjected to the second set of scutching elements.

For the purpose of feeding the fiber to the gripping belts I provide a pair of parallel endless aprons 85, 86 at the entrant end of the machine, see Figs. 1 and 2, which are driven by pulleys or rollers 87 mounted upon the same shaft 88 as pulley 20, upon which the lower belt is mounted at the front end of the machine so that the operation of the lower belt also drives the feed aprons. At their front ends the feed aprons are mounted upon rollers upon an idler shaft 89. As appears from Fig. 1 the feed aprons are arranged respectively on opposite sides of and overlap the gripping belts, and belt 86 is much wider than belt 85, so that in operation the ber may be laid mainly upon the belt 86 but with its ends projecting over across the interval and upon belt 85. Thus the material is fed to the gripping belts so that the latter grip it near but not quite at one end leaving the shorter ends projecting a sufficient distance to be caught and gripped by the shifting belts heretofore described. At the rear of the machine is located a receiver 90 which as shown consists of a curved metal plate adapted and arranged' to receive the fiber directly from the grip of the belts.

As stated above, the seutching means co1nprise two pairs of scutchers located respectively before and behind the central section in which the flax is shifted laterally and the members of each pair of scutching devices are located respectively upon opposite sides of and below the fiber gripping belts. As these soute-hing devices are all alike the description of one will suliice for all. Each of them consists of a plurality of belts 91, 92, 93, shown as three in number, to which are attached transverse scutching knives 94, the belts being so mounted, carried and driven that the scutching blades are carried downwardly successively in contact with the flax or other fiber being treated on opposite sides thereof. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a pair of longitudinal shafts 95, 96 journaled upon the cross pieces 18 extend substantially the length of the main frame and are driven lfrom the drive shaft 29, to which reference has been made, by means of bevel pinions 97, 98 mounted upon Said power shaft and longitudinal shafts respectively. A series of belt pulleys are loosely journaled upon each of these shafts corresponding in number and positions to the belts of the scutching device vor apron upon that side of the machine, and

Icarrying belts to guide the scutching belts or aprons in a vertical plane and in Contact with the fiber carried by the gripping belts. Other idler rolls or pulleys 102 are suspended by pivoted arms 103 from the frame within the loop of the scutching belts and forced outwardly by springs 104 on rods 105 to further guide the scutching belts and maintain them taut.

The scutching blades each consists of a wooden or other bar 106 suitably riveted to the belts heretofore described and a narrow strip of corrugated steel 107 riveted or otherwise secured at suitable intervals to said wooden bar, the metal strips being upon the outer faces of the bars and in position to engage the fiber as the belts are driven. As heretofore stated, the pulleys on the shafts 95, 96 which carry the belts are loose on said shafts but the scutching aprons are driven from the shafts by sprocket wheels 108 therescutching devices.

onwhichengage cleats'or projections 109 secured to the inner faces of the `wooden slats or bars.

The operation of the machine has been described in connection with the description of :the construction but may be briefly' repeated as follows: The flax or otherfiber is placed upon vthe aprons 85, 86 by hand lor otherwise, with the main body thereof upon the apron .86 .but the heads or ends projecting onto the apron 85. By these feed aprons the 'fiber `is fed into 'the grip of the gripper or carrier belts which grip it near but not quite at one v V.end and carry it along with the longer end or V'to the repeated action of the successive scutcher blades. W hen the material being .treated reaches the intermediate section of the frame the upper clamping or gripping belt is raised thus releasing the flax fiber and the short projecting ends of the latter are engaged by the shifter belts and drawn laterally thereof at the same time that the flax is carried along by the lower carrier belt and at substantially .equalsp-eed. Y The ends of the flax-are discharged .or released by the shifter belts and at about the time or shortly thereafter the upper gripping belt is forced. downwardly by the upper guide into contact with kthe fiber, thus taking a new hold upon the latter at a `portion thereof which has been fully treated Vby the first pair of scutching devices and exposing the heretofore untreated part to the actionof the second set of The flax is'then fed through thelatter and ultimately discharged into the receiver from which it may be removed by hand or in any other suitable manner.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, sets of scutching devices, a pair of gripping belts common to said scutching devices and adapted and arranged to feed fiber successively thereto, a pair of shifter belts arrangedat an acute angle to said gripper belts and means for adjusting the angle between said belts.

2. In a device of the class described, sets i of scutching devices, a pair of gripper belts ,lgelts angularly with respect Vto the gripper elts.

3. In a machine of the class described, sets of scutcher devices, a pair-of gripper belts arranged to feed fiber successively to said scutcher devices, means for preleasing the'.

grip of said belts intermediate the scutcher devices, a frame pivoted adjacent the belts intermediate said, scutcher devices, Vmeans for angularly adjusting the frame, Va pair of endless belts mounted on the frame and adapted and arranged to .grip the fiber `and shift it laterally of the lgripper belts, and lneans for positively driving'V said shifter elts.

of scutcher devices, a pair of gripperbelts arranged yto feed fiber successively to said scutcher devices, means for releasing the 4. In a machine of the class described, sets grip of said belts intermediate the scutcher devices, a frame pivoted adjacent the .belts intermediate said scutcher devices, .means for angularly adjusting the frame, a pair of endless belts mounted-on the frame and adapted and arranged to grip the fiber and shift it laterally of the gripper belts, a .reciprocable shaft and a universal .connection fbetween said shaft and one of said belts, a

sprocket wheel keyed on said` shaft and means for drivingthe sprocket wheel.

5. In a device of the class described, scutching means, .a pair of gripper belts adapted and arranged-to carry fiber to said scutching means, the surface of contact between said belts being angular whereby a firm grip is secured upon the fiber.

6. In a device of the class described, scutching means, a pair of gripper belts rfor clamping liber and feeding it `to said scutching means, a longitudinal projectiony upon one of said belts andra longitudinal' depression upon the other of said v.belts mating therewith. Y

7 In a devicey `of the class described, scutching means, a pair of belts adapted and arranged to carry fiber into position to be .engaged by said scutching means, one of Vsaid belts v'being provided with a longitudinal rectangular projection and the other of said belts .with a mating angular longitudinal recess-to grasp the ber.

8. In a device of the 'class described, a plurality of scutching. devices, a pair of belts common to said scutching devices and adapted to feed fiber successively thereto, a continuous guide for one of said belts exj scutchingvdevice, a `pair of gripping belts adapted .to feed ber rto said scutcher,

:tending past bothscutchingdevices and a Y V guide composed of two sections for the other of said gripping vbelts and vmeans intertransverse cleats upon said belts, a continuous guide engaging one of said belts, an interrupted guide engaging the other set of cleats and means for separating said belts.

10. In a machine of the class described, a scutching device, a pair of gripping belts of flexible material adapted and arranged to grip fiber to be treated and feed it to said scutching device, cleats on said belts and driving means provided with projections adapted to engage said cleats.

11. In a device of the class described, a scutcher blade comprising a strip of corrugated steel and means for supporting 15 of corrugated steel secured thereto.

BERTRAND S. SUMMERS.

Witnesses:

W. II. MONTEITH, ALEX. ADAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, I). C. 

